Aizawl, Aug 1 : The HPC-D released a press statement condemning the lies spread by the Mizoram Government and the arrests of its leaders which were against the law as HPC-D has Suspension of Operation (SoO) with the Goverment of India.

Below is the press release

PRESS RELEASE

The Government of Mizoram
arrested the HPC(D) Chairman, H.Zosangbera from Delhi Indira Gandhi
International Airport on July 17, 2012 and is now in its custody. The
HPC(D) Chairman was on his way to meet officials of the Ministry of Home
Affairs, Government of India to intimate about the urgent need for
political solution of the Hmars in Mizoram.

On
June 10, 2012, the HPC(D) Army Chief, Lalropui and the Deputy Chief of
Army, Lalbieknung were also arrested by the Mizoram Armed Police (MAP)
from Silchar Airport (Assam) when they were on their way to visit the
HPC(D) Designated Camp and attend a peace meeting with the leaders of
the All Parties Leaders (Mizoram). The Chief Minister of Mizoram was
aware about the peace meet and has given a nod to the All Party Leaders
(Mizoram). The Government of Mizoram, once again, broke the trust and
confidence that has been slowly building up after the first term of the
Suspension of Operation (SoO) between the HPC(D) and the Government of
Mizoram (November 11, 2010 – May 11, 2011). The Mizoram Armed Police
(MAP) and the Government of Mizoram blatantly trespass with the arrest
as the HPC(D) has Suspension of Operation (SoO) with the Government of
Assam.

The HPC(D) strongly condemns the coward
act of the Government of Mizoram as it stands against the just and
peaceful approaches adopted by the HPC(D) to secure the Constitutional
rights of the Hmars in Mizoram. The HPC(D) is convinced that the
Government of Mizoram is in no way interested in securing peace and
democracy in Mizoram. The HPC(D) shall not be a silent spectator to the
necessary belligerency adopted by the Government of Mizoram; the
recently conducted “Flag March” in Sinlung Hills was un-democratic and
exaggerated; the attempt to “segregate” the Hmar peoples by the Home
Department, Government of Mizoram, with its order (No. D.
32020/24/2010-HMS) is a shame. It will forever stand as the biggest
insult to Mizoram's peace and democracy. The Government of Mizoram must
immediately end its “segregationist” policies that are directed against
the Hmar people. The decades of suppression and discrimination by the
Government of Mizoram in collusion with Mizoram based NGO has resulted
in giving no place and space for Hmar language, culture, identity and
tradition; our people are deprived and marginalized from getting our due
and fair share in governance, welfare, development, education,
entitlement and justice. The rights of the suppressed Hmar people shall
not be allowed to be thwarted and deterred by the exercise of such
uncalled for belligerency. Enough is enough!

If
the Home Minister of Mizoram, Lalzirliana and his cahoots thinks that
the rightful demand of the Hmar people of Mizoram and a peoples’
movement launched under Hmar People’s Convention (Democratic) could be
suppressed with the arrest of our selfless leaders, they shall be proven
wrong. The Government of Mizoram shall be responsible for the fall-out.
As a matter of fact, our movement will be taken to a higher level and
we are more determined towards prioritizing our goal ever than before.
There are hundreds of Hmar youths and leaders who are ready to respond
to the call of securing our rights and the long-time aspirations of the
Hmar people that are also represented by our arrested leaders. Let the
Mizoram state police trace and track us anywhere and everywhere if it
thinks that would wrest our movement and aspirations which will be again
proven wrong.

The Government of Mizoram has
been blindly accusing the HPC(D) of planning several attacks on the
people and state of Mizoram. We are also accused of disintegrating the
Mizos of Mizoram and elsewhere. We would like to remind one and all by
asserting that the Hmars’ movement in Mizoram and its adjoining areas is
not against any individual people or community but only for securing a
just socio-economic and political development of the Hmars in Sinlung
Hills areas of Mizoram which has not only Hmars living in it. Moreover,
our struggle is for improving democracy and for the decentralization of
the same, which has eluded the Hmar people for many decades. The just
development of Hmar people of Mizoram will in no way disintegrate the
Mizos; instead it will strengthen and integrate the Mizos. Our time has
come to secure our fair and equal share in welfare, democracy and
development; no one can stop us from securing our rights.

In
the larger interest of securing the goals of the peoples’ movement, the
HPC(D), in its recently concluded Emergency Executive Council appointed
Shri L.T. Hmar to be the Chairman in-charge of the HPC(D).

We
appeal to all right thinking citizens to take note of the treacherous
policy of the Government of Mizoram towards the Hmar people. The Hmar
people or the HPC(D) shall not be responsible for any outcome bred by
the decades of treacherous, segregationist and suppressive and
oppressive actions of the Government of Mizoram. We remain committed to
our rightful struggle and aspirations; we shall continue the good fight
under all circumstances until we achieve our goals. In order to realize
the great future, we shall sacrifice everything that is required of us.